October 21, 2020
"Something?" Namjoon rubbed the base of his nose, he had a terrible headache, barely slept, keeping Arie company again. He was already wondering how the two of them would cope with two babies.
“Park…” he looked at Yoongi with raised eyebrows. "Everyone else was attacked and killed, except for Park." Yoongi explained. "Like he knew his attacker. No signs of a struggle like the others, no guards injured or killed, nothing, just him" Namjoon narrowed his eyes.
"Do you think he organized the attacks and then his men turned on him?" Namjoon asked, flipping through a few pages of the reports Seokjin had handed him.
"My man from the police said that according to the pathologist, he was one of the first killed. If he was the mastermind and the mercenaries had already removed him, why did they finish the job?" Namjoon looked at Jimin thoughtfully. "Yes, so to speak, there is no logic" he sighed and leaned back with his eyes closed.
"And where is his daughter?" Namjoon thought back, remembering that Park Lisa had been missing for a long time, not that he was complaining. "Not in the country as far as I know" Jimin answered and Namjoon raised his eyebrows.
Jimin shrugged. "Apparently Park sent his daughter abroad" added Jimin. "So we don't care about her. Jin hyung, any of your people?" Namjoon asked, turning to Seokjin who crossed his legs, leaning back comfortably with his arms spread out on the back of the couch.
"Nothing concrete, just rumours" Jin sighed. "There's talk of a new group, but no one knows who they are or if they even exist" he bit his lip thoughtfully. "There are a few more attacks that aren't related to us or our people though" Namjoon raised an eyebrow.
"Who and why would go out to take territory so chaotically?" Namjoon leaned his elbows on his desk. "Unless they're trying to distract" he dug into the reports again.
"Is it possible that we're not the target? It's just someone who's also connected to our people? Someone they're doing business with behind our backs?" Yoongi asked and everyone turned to him. "Not out of the question" Seokjin muttered thoughtfully.
"We don't have contracts that require families who work for us to share their side activities, but if it is someone they work with, who is he and why are they going after him, removing his clients?" Yoongi stretched out his legs and also laid his head back, closing his eyes.
"The more we find out, the messier it gets" Seokjin snorted in annoyance and Namjoon nodded, placing his chin on his index fingers. “What connects all the attacked if it's not us? Who is it that connects them and if it's a side business, why haven't we heard anything until now?” Namjoon took a deep breath and held it before letting it out noisily.
"The more interesting thing is, who has the guts to run a business in more than one territory? In the sense, well, if it's a side thing, with our subordinates, he's in our territory, so he went against us, but the other ones killed have nothing to do with it and they're in foreign territory” Jimin stood up and paced nervously back and forth.
"At the moment, Bangtan and Tokko are the ones with the largest territories." Yoongi growled as Jimin unintentionally bumped his shoulder. "But as far as I know, Tokko got hurt too" he finished, giving Jimin a sharp look.
"We've always avoided contact with them until now, but they're probably investigating too, maybe we should join forces?" Seokjin looked at Namjoon curiously.
Namjoon thought about it. Tokko were too aggressive even for Bangtan. Even if Namjoon was famous as the devil in human form, even he wouldn't do the things he heard about Tokko.
"We'll avoid contact with them for now. They're too dangerous and if anything goes wrong it'll be a bloody mess, we don't need bloodshed right now" Namjoon shook his head and Seokjin nodded, he didn't like Tokko either, in fact, no one did.
“By the way, there is a rumor that Maeng will ask for a date with you” Yoongi, Namjoon and Jimin looked at Seokjin with raised eyebrows. "What will the Maeng want from us?" Namjoon asked intrigued.
"You won't like it…" Seokjin started quietly and Namjoon raised an eyebrow. "And why?" he asked and Seokjin swallowed loudly. "Because it affects Ari too…" Jin answered quietly, looking down.
"Ari? What does she have to do with it?" Namjoon asked, feeling his body tense up at the mere thought of anyone mentioning or implicating her.
"Myo Maeng has a daughter as far as I understand, she wants a date to arrange a marriage between you and his daughter" Seokjin explained and held his breath, waiting for Namjoon's outburst. "Please? He knows I'm engaged and Ari is pregnant, right?" Namjoon asked, gritting his teeth.
“Your engagement was never made public…” Seokjin trailed off, blushing. "To the rest of the families, Ari is just the mistress who accidentally got pregnant and you're keeping her because she's probably carrying a boy, an heir" Seokjin replied quietly, not daring to look Namjoon in the eye.
"What!?" Namjoon pounded the desk angrily, standing up. His eyes darkened, his face contorted with malice, and Seokjin cowered. "Don't kill the messenger..." Seokjin mumbled. "Calm down Namjoon!" Yoongi mumbled and Jimin took refuge in the far corner of the office.
"Calm down? The bastard thinks my woman is a whore and you want me to calm down? I'll kill him!" Namjoon growled and started for the door. "Namjoon, where are you going?" Seokjin jumped up startled.
"What do you think, I'm going to kill his whole family, no one has the right to talk about my fiancee!" Namjoon roared from the doorway. "Wait a minute, why don't you just announce your engagement?" Yoongi tried to stop him too.
"Yoongi is right, Namjoon, announce your engagement. I know Ari isn't able to attend events right now, but it's enough if it's just a few people, something like a formal informal dinner, then she'll be able to attend, and the news it'll spread like a virus” Seokjin suggested and Yoongi pulled him closer to his seat.
“Anyway, with what's going on, we can't organize anything big, the risk is too great, but a dinner here…” Seokjin shrugged. "Why not just kill them, why put Ari on display, she's tired enough already." snorted Namjoon still angry.
"As your wife, she'll have to get used to being on display, Namjoon." Yoongi snapped and Namjoon looked at him coldly. "But not in this condition!" he growled and Yoongi raised his eyebrows.
"Look, I know Ari is in a very delicate situation right now…" Seokjin started, but Namjoon cut him off. “She could give birth at any moment, hyung, the stress is too much” he shook his head and Seokjin sighed.
"Then set up a meeting with just Maeng, to introduce him to Ari, he didn't attend her official introduction, let him see that your relationship is serious?" Yoongi suggested and Namjoon looked at him, rolling his eyes.
"Maeng are strong, they will be a good addition after so many losses" Seokjin reminded him and Namjoon growled in annoyance. "Fine, but if he says even one insulting word, I kill him on the spot!" Namjoon agreed, his look far from meekly cooperative.
"At least try it, explain it to Ari, I'm sure she'll be more than willing" Seokjin smiled soothingly and Namjoon made a face.
"And what am I supposed to explain to her? That people think she's my mistress, whom I'll get rid of after she bears me an heir because I have a better marriage proposal?" Namjoon asked sharply and Yoongi hung his head in shame.
"Right, how do you think I should tell her something like that?" Namjoon asked again. "Tell me what?" he looked startled at the door, mouth opening and closing.
"Honey…" he stood up, but she stopped him, holding out her hand. "What do you need to tell me, Namjoon?" Ari asked, looking at him intently. “I…” he looked to Seokjin, Yoongi, and Jimin for help.
"Honey, first come sit" he stood up and walked towards her, but her gaze stopped him. "Jin oppa?" she turned to Seokjin who, avoiding her gaze, lowered his head. "Will someone tell me or do I have to guess?" Ari asked sharply.
Namjoon sighed, closing his eyes and running a hand over his face. "Great, she's in one of THOSE moods!" he thought and dropped his neck, preparing to be trampled and destroyed.
"Honey, take it easy and sit down, it's nothing serious…" he reached for her, but she took a step back and tilted her head in annoyance. "Which isn't serious, Namjoon? And if it isn't, why are you all staring at the ground and no one saying anything?" Ari asked hissingly.
"Ari, baby, please try to calm down it's not good for the babies..." Namjoon tried to pull her closer again but she raised her eyebrows angrily and he stopped again. "For God's sake! Namjoon has a marriage proposal because Mr. Maeng thinks you're just his lover. So Namjoon wants to introduce him to you and rub his nose in it!" Yoongi snarled in one breath, startling everyone except Ari, who blushed angrily and glared at Namjoon.
"Your what?" her voice trembled, dropping to a guttural shriek. "Honey, it's not…" Namjoon started but the words got stuck in his throat. Her eyes widened and filled with tears.
"So people think you're just fucking me?" tears began to stream down her cheeks and she turned, looking around at Seokjin, Yoongi, and Jimin. "Is that what they really think?" Ari asked, but none of them dared to look at her.
"Honey, you know that…" she cut him off again. "Is that me? Lover, fun? And when the babies are born? What will they be? Bastards?" Ari yelled and Namjoon gritted his teeth angrily.
"Damn it Ari! You know it's not true and that I love you more than anything! No one would ever dare call our children bastards!" he yelled and she shuddered in startle, stepping back further. Namjoon immediately realized what he had done and his face softened.
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" she didn't let him finish, spinning on her heel and faster than her huge belly would suggest, she slammed the door in his face.
Namjoon froze for a second, then slowly turned and walked towards Yoongi. His fingers gripped his collar and Namjoon lifted him from his seat effortlessly, giving him a murderous cold look.
"If anything happens to Ari or the babies, I'll kill you!" Namjoon growled low and Yoongi gritted his teeth, swallowing hard. Namjoon released him and flew out of his office, heading for the bedroom.
"Honey?" he poked his head through the door, but quickly pushed it aside, closing the door as a vase flew straight at him. "Damn it!" he muttered and took a breath, slightly opening the door again.
"Baby, please give me a chance to explain?" Namjoon tried, calling out cautiously again. "Fuck you, Kim Namjoon!" Ari roared from inside and a photo flew towards him.
He threw the door wide open and jumped away, avoiding the picture as it fell and smashed on the floor. He looked at her, a picture of them with Namjoon hugging her from the back and their arms wrapped around her stomach.
He turned to Ari and his eyes widened in fear. "What are you doing, baby, please you know you shouldn't be lifting heavy!" he walked over to her in one step and hugged her from behind, pinning her arms to her body.
"I'm leaving, period!" Ari growled and tried to free herself, but Namjoon held her back, burying his face in her neck. "My love, please, you know it's not true and that you're everything to me," he whispered in her ear and she stilled, but didn't answer.
"I love you, Ari, it doesn't matter what people think, you and the kids are my world and I'll kill anyone who tries to hurt you, you know that!" Namjoon demanded and she sighed, looking down at the suitcase she had started to fill with clothes.
"Please, I can't live without you!" he turned her to him and cupped her face, wiping away her tears and kissing her gently.
"They think I'm your lover, Namjoon, for…" she bit her lip, sobbing, and buried her face in his chest. "Baby, just say and I'll kill him, I swear, but don't cry, please, it breaks my heart to see you like this!" he hugged her tightly, stroking her back soothingly as she tried to calm herself down, wetting his shirt with her tears.
"Would you really do that?" she looked up wetly and Namjoon smiled, leaning in, he pecked her lips and nodded. "Of course, one word from you and Maeng is done!" Namjoon confirmed softly and she pouted.
"I'd rather date," Ari mumbled softly and Namjoon laughed, tucking a lock of hair behind her shoulder. "Let's have the meeting then, but you won't cry anymore, will you?" he wiped away her tears again and she nodded, still sulking. "Good, because by the kicks in my stomach, I think our daughter just tried to impale me!" Namjoon smirked and Ari burst out laughing.